Hicklin appointed Millboro Elementary principal

Hot Springs, Va. – Allison Hicklin is the new full time Millboro Elementary School principal. At Monday’s Bath School Board close out meeting, the board appointed Hicklin to the position. Hicklin is a former member of the Bath School Board. She resigned at the June 5th board meeting announcing her intention to apply for the Millboro job. With funding available for the 2012-13 school year, the school board was able to put a full time principal position back at Millboro Elementary. In recent years Valley Elementary school principal Les Balgavy divided his time between Valley and Millboro Elementary.

Business Manager Justin Rider reported that more than $161,000 of unused money will be returned to Bath County’s general fund. Rider said they have finished the year out with full diesel tanks, have purchased window blinds for the high school and purchased some calculators needed for SOL testing. School Superintendent Sue Hirsh said they tried to be conservative and so will be returning funds. The board voted to authorize Superintendent Hirsh to send a letter to the Board of Supervisors, asking that the board consider placing the school system’s returned revenue aside in an account for future school capital improvement projects.

School Board Chairperson Amy Gwin said she is passionate about giving school employees some type of salary increase. She said the 6% they are getting is not really an increase. The 6% was necessary to offset Virginia Retirement System changes. Board member Cathy Lowry agreed saying that the staff should have something. It will take about $78,000 to give a step increase to all school employees and Superintendent Hirsh said she couldn’t tell the Board now where they might find the money for it. She said they are still hiring some employees and until those salary costs are known, they won’t know about any possible savings. She said the board could look at it again later and make the adjustment at another time.

The board approved its adjusted budget for 2012-13, with the school fund at about $9.2 million and the food fund at about $576,000. The Board of Supervisors allocated those amounts, which were different from the school board’s original budget. The adjustments in the amounts were the result of a number of revisions in costs, including health insurance and Virginia Retirement System.

For more from Monday’s Bath School Board close out meeting, tune in to Noon Hour on Wednesday.